Banda Aceh, Indonesia

• More than 20,000 parcels of food, water and medicines have been distributed
• 607 benefited from eye camps
• Counseling and child care provided in two relief camps
• Needs assessment being undertaken throughout Aceh Besar

Eye Camps

Daily eye camps have been held in TVRI spontaneous camp and Lampinung camp benefiting a total of 607 people thus far. The camps are jointly conducted by AMURT and a three member RAM (Remote Area Medical) team from USA. Indonesian TV filmed our operation in TVRI Camp, which has a population of 7000 displaced persons.

Support for Neuheun Village

We distributed 416 resettlement kits to the families of Neuheun village working in coordination with the NGO Concern International. The kits included a kerosene stove, a wok, a cooking pot, 2 large washing buckets, a large serving spoon, a cutting board, a large knife, 6 spoons, six plates, 3 sarongs, a bath towel and two pairs of sandals. Everyone was so pleased to receive these useful gifts for their homes.

AMURTEL has based its counseling operations in Neuheun village where it assists an average of ten women a week. AMURTEL also distributed 625 prayer cloths to the women in the village so that they can perform their religious practices more comfortably.

In addition we have started English classes for 120 children in Neuheun

Child Care Activities
The AMURT/AMURTEL teams are still  providing daily, non-formal education and recreational activities for children aged 3-12 years in Lambpisang and Neuheun relief camps in Aceh Besar District (Greater Banda Aceh area).

The AMURTEL project in Lambpisang seeks to bring joy to the lives of children.

The children have benefited tremendously from our activities. Many have eased their traumas through drawing and painting.

We also serve nutritious meals of sweet rice, vegetables, milk and fruit to the children, which is a wonderful change from the drab diet of rice, noodles and biscuits they are normally given at the camp.

Village Needs Assessment

We are surveying damaged houses in Nusa, Lamasan Kling and Lampinung camps. Another 100 cottage brick factories have been reported destroyed in five villages of Aceh Besar and we will do a thorough assessment of those, too.

We are currently planning on rehabilitating the cottage brick factories in Neuheun village that employ 75% of the villagers.  

Before we undertake a project we first assess the needs of the population. A direct dialogue with the villagers and authorities gives a clear picture.

AMURTEL completed their assessment of the needs of 67 women vendors representing three villages who are now staying in the TVRI camp. They visited the head of the Rural Bank and acquired useful information on the cash grant scheme to help these women get back on their feet. 

AMURTEL also completed a survey in six villages in Acer Besar to ascertain the number of children of preschool age who would attend a school we plan to start for them in a convenient location near their relocation camps